1 Drive Safely I You May s Save A Life i_ ! ! I ( I j VOLUME 18. NO. 32 $2.50 a Year in Ashe County WEST JEFFERSON, N. C. ASHE COUNTY IS .. Leading Livestock and l>a*r' County in North Carolina Population: ZZ.tHH jj THURSDAY. SEPT. 11, 1947 $3.00 a Year Out of County PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY Turkish Tobacco Program To Expand Next Year Hearing Granted W. J. Merchants Ass*n On Phone Local Merchants Association Will Secure Cooperation Of Other Croups Following widespread dissatis faction over the telephone ser vice as well as the proposed in crease in rates asked for by the Central Telephone company, the West Jefferson Merchant's As sociation has been granted the privilege of a hearing before the N. C. Utilities Commission, be fore the raise in rates is granted the local company. The Merchant's Association has invited other groups, who have voiced objections to the service and rates, to join with them in the hearing. These include of ficials of the town of West Jef ferson. the Rotary club and other civic organizations. Tire town of Sparta will also unite with this group at the hear ing in order to present the facts before the Utilities Commission in a unified effort to secure better service and to stop the proposed increase in rates. In a letter to the association. Edgar Womble has stated that he will advise, when the case is set for a hearing so that repre sentatives may be present. The merchant's association will relay information to other interested groups as soon as the date is set. Mrs. West. Dies At Draper Former Ashe County Woman Dies At The Home Of Her Son In Draper Funeral service for Mis. Theo sia Blevins West, 87, native of Grassy Creek, was held Monday afternoon at two o'clock at the Pleasant Home Baptist church. Officiating were Revs. W F.. Den ny. Cicero Ashley and C. A. El ler. Interment was in the church Cl metery. A Mrs. West, who had been mak • ing lie: home here with her son, Geo. E. West, only recently mo ved to Draper, where she sue-1 cumbed Friday night. Tite wife of the late R. F. West, she ts survived by four sons. G. E West, of Draper; Roscoe, of Havre de Grace, Md.; James, of Port Deposit, Md.; and Arthur, of Darlington. Md. Also surviving are three brothers, M. F. Blevins, of Newton, Pa.: and B. L. Blevins and Rev. J. C. Blevins, of Gras sy Creek, and 28 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Rotarians Hear Musieal Program A musical program was pre sented at the meeting of the Jef fersons Rotary club last Thurs day when Coleman Payne was in charge. Special selections were rendered by a local quartet. Two members of the club, who had been absent for sometime, were w< loomed back Rocc Cutri. who has been spending the past several weeks in Europe, was present, as was Wade E. Eller, who has been attending summer school at the University of North Carolina. The Rotary membership gave 100 per cent to the National Paul Harris Memorial fund, which is to be used to promote good will among foreign nations. Ihe club also supported 100 per cent the sending of the Rotary Internation al magazine abroad. Rocco Cutri will speak to the group tonight. L. P. Colvard is in charge of the program. Perkins Is Part k Business Owner Paul A. Perkins, prominent West Jefferson business man, has bought out E. O Woodie's interest in the Firestone Store and will op erate it together with Forrest Mc Millan, the other owner. Mr. Perkins, former Ashe coun v high school principal and m ;urance representative has/"a"? riends here who will be happy o learn of his new connection. Iron Lung Bought By Veterans;* H elp From Public Sought PROPOSED MEMORIAL Sketch of proposed memor ial to Ashe county's war dead 10 Ik erected on courthouse lawn. Cooperative To Elect Directors Next Saturday Congressman Dough ton Will Speak: Ballots Sent To Members This Week Announcement has been made through the office of the Blue Ridge Electric cooperative at Le noir, that the annual meeting for for the election of directors would be held there on Saturday in the courthouse at 10:00 A. M. According to the announcement, reports will also be heard and the guest speaker will he Con gressman R. L. Doughton. A ballot witn the list of the present directors has been sent out to the stockholders. No re port as to the nomination of these is made. Also on the ballot card is a place to check approval or disapproval for group purchase plan. The approval of this plan would mean that the cooperative would continue to sell appliances in competition with tax-paying electric appliance dealers The list of present directors is as follows: A. C. Reach. Lenoir: D. R. Moore. Granite Falls. C. C. Poo vey. Granite Falls: C. L. Mast, (Continued on pngi 4) Contributions Are Asked For: Will Be Kepi At The Ashe Memorial Hospital The people of this area now have available for use, an iron lung, which arrived this week. The purchase of this needed equipment is being sponsored by the three organizations of war veterans and public contributions will be sought by them to cover the cost, which is around $1500, it was announced. This iron lung is a part of the memorial to the war dead, it is pointed out. The drive is now underway to raise funds for the! monument to be erected on the courthouse grounds, a sketch of - this, drawn by Joe Garvey, is shown at the left. The monument to be built of native stone, will bear three bronze tablets com memorating the county's dead of World War I. another of World War II and the third, for the dead of all other wars. This proposed monument will be around tour; feet square at base and approxi mately nine feet high, it was ex plained. It was estimated that the cost of it would be around $1500. The iron lung is an Emerson and is modern in every respect. It has many new features in cluding a head-end plate with sloping collar allowing the maxi mum chin room: stand and open ing on head-end plate for extra venous therapy and special in side support for paralyzed arms. Both the monument and the iron lung are to be financed through the memorial fund now being solicited under the sponsor ship of three veteran’s organi (Continued on page 4) Farm Bureau To Have Meetings Farmers Urged To Attend; Flans To Be Made To Or ganize Permanently A series of community meet ings have been planned in efforts to organize a Farm Bureau in Ashe county. All farmers are ur ged to attend these community meetings. The schedule as announced by H. D. Quessenberry is as follows: (Continued on page 8) Woodie ^ ontli Is Held In Rohlu*r> George Woodie. West Jefferson youth is being held in jail on failure to post a bond of $1,000 following a hearing in connection with the recent breaking and en tering of Graybeal's drug store. Considerable damage was done to the building, and some cash ta ken. Woodie was identified with the crime after a finger-print ex pert was called in on the case. Cutri Will R e t u r n To IN. \, Plant Will Continue Operation • * Rocco Cutri, operator and man ager of the Carolina Briar cor poration, briarwood importers and producers of domestic and imported briar stummels, who has just returned from a survey trip to Europe to study condi tions there, has anonunced that he will leave soon for New York, but that the plant will continue here. Mr. Cutri made the following statement to a representative of this paper: “My recent trip to Italy for the purpose of studying the bi'iar I wood market has convinced me ! that it is a futile effort on my ! part to continue the manufacture ' of domestic briar. I regret from I the bottom of my heart that ec onomic conditions force me to discontinue my operation. But II will continue here the imported briar stummels operation, under the direction of Jennings Rader. My activity must be devoted to the importation of .briarwood. Therefore, I am compelled to leave this beautiful mountain section that I love so much and return to the hustle and bustle of the great city. “The past six years of my resi dence here have beer, the happiest years of my life. I have enjoyed my work and the fellowship of my many dear friends. I can state with all sincerity, that the com munity of Ashe county will re main endeared in my heart as long as I live. “This trip also convinced me that we must do our utmost to assist the European people to get back on their feet. At present, the economic conditions of Italy (Continued on Page 4) No Juvenile Delinquency In Dunn. Knee Pantsers Play Ball Juvenile delinquency does not live at Dunn, X. C-. any more. The youngsters are too absorbed in the joyful pursuits of the Knee Pants baseball league, and are under rigid contract to be little gentlemen- Herbert 15. Taylor, former mayor, organized the league 27 years ago. The candidates—ages S to 11—must sign a regular "hig league" contract, which among other things, obligates the player to be at home not later than 10 o'clock, attend Sunday school, refrain from bullying and respect property, etc- The contracts arc generally fulfilled and enforced and juvenile delinquency is unknown, thanks to the Knee Pants baseball league. Photos show the members in action — and getting "mo ther's’’ signature on the contract. Shoemaker Will Head Merchants: Plans \r<* Mailt Directors Chosen: Group Takes Action On Telephone Service; Parking Meters The accomplishments of the West Jefferson Merchants As sociation during the past year were briefly reviewed and some of the plans for the coming year outlined at the annual business meeting, held at Graybeal's Cof fee Shop Monday night, when Sharpe S. Shoemaker was unani mously elected president. Other officers chosen to serve with Mr. Shoemaker were Jake C |idill. vice president; Mrs. Ed M. An derson. secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Elizabeth Oliver Weaver, as sistant secretary and treasurer. Plans for the erection of the tobacco warehouse and opening (Continued on page 8) \\ eek Pud Scores. Schedule Given Tc ative plans are now under way to begin the series for the Mountain Baseball League on September 20. W. L. Hughes, president of the league, stated this week. There art still several games to be made up before a schedule can be worked out. There will be an important meeting of all baseball Lam man agers at the Man’s Store, tomor row night at 7:30 o’clock. The president has asked that all be present. Week end games and scores are (Continued on page 8) N. C. GETS $2,241,509 FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES Washington—The Agricul ture Department .Monday alto cated S48.750.00 for this year’s national school lunch program. That amount, the depart ment said in an announcement, came out of the $05,000,000 oongresstonal appropriation for the school lunches. It will be used in the 48 sta tes, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Vir gin Islands and Alaska. The department said the funds will be used by state and territorial educational agencies to pay schools taking part in the program for part of their purchases of food for school lunches. North Carolina was allotted 82,241,509, South Carolina 81, 390,016, Tennessee 81,530,603, and Virginia 81,328,044. Good Attendance Expected At Dairy Slimv Here Friday: \\ ill (Jo To Lexington ()n Sat. llunliiiii Season Will (IjX'ii N<\1 Mondav. Scpl. 1.) Hunters Reminded That Li censes Are Necessary: Many Squirrels Next v lay, Septembei 15 squirrel hunters of Ashe county will have yurt unity ; their skill as the hunting season officially opens. They are remind ed by game p-utector, Roland Koontz. that they must secure licenses. The squirrel season will remain open until December 15 and from all indications, it should be . hup py one for the skillful hunters, as there seems to be a good sup ply of this small, bushy - tail animal. Hunters are reminded that (Continued on page 8) Town Officer INol To Report According to town officials. Melvin Short, m' Forest City, will not assume duties here as police man for the town of West Jef ferson as announced last week. Plans are now underway to obtain the services of another of ficer and additional information will be announced at a later date, town officials pointed out. F. R. Farnum Will Judge; Kraft To Give Prizes; t Classes Open To All A good representation from the various sections of the county is expected for the coun'y 4-H dairy show, scheduled to open here; tomorrow morning at 10:00 o' clock on the W st Jefferson school grounds a preliminary to the district .-'a w t> he held in Lexington on Saturday. Prizes for the local show will be given by the Kraft Foods Com pany. while Cob Dairy Pro ducts company will finance the district event. H. D. Quessenberry announced. In discussing the local show. Agent Quessenberry pointed out that F. R. Farnum. extension dairy specialist would be the judge and that the Danish system would be used. The following classes will be awarded prizes to 4-H members: Junior calf, dropped January 1 to June 30 this year inclusive; senior calf dropped July 1 to De cember 31 last year inclusive: junior yearling, dropped January 1 to June 30 last year inclusive: senior yearling, dropped July 1 to December 31, 1945 inclusive Open to all dairymen and far mers will be the following classic: grade cattle over one year, but under threi : grade cattle three years old or nldei, and the same classes for purebred.-. The public is cordially invited to attend. Two Chain Driven \\ at Hit Are Owned B\ Local Men Time marches on, at a rapid pace according to many, but not ancient chain driven watches, according to information reveal ed recently by two local people, who own these unusual time pieces. Following a newspaper article which appeared recently in the Charlotte Observer, concerning these ancient watches, it was learned here that one is owned by Russel W. Barr and another by Carl Jackson, of Jefferson. Wound by a key, these time pieces keep perfect time for slightly more than 24 hours with out re-winding. The chain is very flexible and winds from one smooth drum to another cone shaped groved drum. These watches were hand made in London and were among the first to be used. According to the best information available, there are very few of them in exis tence and fewer of them run. since few modern watchmakers know how to repair them. Carl Jackson, Jefferson watch repairman, brought his by for in spection and it was revealed by information in the case that this time piece was made by C. Co brier in 1600. Mr. Jackson point ed out that it would not run when it first came into ins possession, but after working on it for some time, it would keep time now. Since most modern watches are being guaranteed for one year, it is considered quite a phenomena that this one more than 300 years old will still run. It is also considered unusual for a watch repairman to be able to repair such a watch in this mo dern age. This Year’s Crop Declared Very Good By Leaders More Farmers Expected To Be Included In Program In Ashe And Alleghany The experiment of growing Turkish tobacco in this area, now in its third year, has possibilities ol further expansion and may include more farmers next yeai. John Wilkins, agronomist in charge of the project in this area, said, this week. This year there are 33 fat met s in Ashe and Alleghany countie cooperating with the project a i the crops this season have been more successful than ever befo: Mr, Wilkins said. He stated th; ' while the project is still in the experimental state, the yield has been increased each year and has been unusually successful this year. “We do not know yet as ti the extent of the expansion of the program, but we feel that it will definitt ly be enlarged." Mr Wilkins said He also pointed ou‘ that a company was being formed to handle the output and as soor. as more information was av li able it would be passed on to the growers He also said he expert some limitations on the prograr for sometime, however. It was pointed out that the farmers like the experiment an t that several have grown this to bacco since the experiment was started three years ago. Farmers in Ashe and Alle ghany, who grew Turkish tobacc this years are as follows: J. W. Bledsoe, R H. Bled, - E. L, Vanony; L. J, Moretz, By num Holman, Fleetwood; G V' Phillips, Idlewtid; J. W. Gant bill. West Jefferson; G. C, W >odte. Robert Join.s, Everett Hendrix Everett Taylor, C. S. Wyatt, \\-s ’-*r Mai, Major Mabe, Ge<* go F, Tayl-Ji. Laurel Springs. Ray Hash, W. R. Barr, J. L ter Phipps, T. E. Brown, Claud. Berchett, John G. Brown, K> i - W, Cox. C. V. Hoppers. N /. Sturgill. Pa .1 1 ermedy, W F (Ct n page 4t \\ a<> 1 l e s >